Twelve celebrities began the fifth season of "Dancing With the Stars" in September, and on Tuesday either race car driver Helio Castroneves, Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown or entertainer Marie Osmond will become the latest winner on the show that has turned ballroom dancing into can't-miss TV.

The series' two weekly episodes, Monday's competition show and Tuesday's results show, consistently rank in the Top 5 of the Nielsen ratings. Monday episodes usually land at No. 1 with nearly 22 million viewers.

"It's a combination of a great sporting event and beautiful, glamorous, all-time family entertainment," said Bruno Tonioli, one of three judges, all former dancers, who grade the performers on their footwork.

Not to mention drama. This season, Jane Seymour missed two results shows, one after her mother died and another when she was sick with food poisoning. The California wildfires threatened Seymour's Malibu house as well. Osmond made headlines throughout the season, from the moment she fainted after a performance to the day she missed a results show following the death of her father, and the recent revelation that her 16-year-old son had entered rehab. After her elimination, star Sabrina Bryan admitted she and partner Mark Ballas would begin dating.

There was controversy on the dance floor too. Bryan, as well as star Cameron Mathison, were scolded and docked points for illegal lifts. Ballas and Bryan, early favorites, scored a perfect 30 in Week 4 yet were voted off, possibly the most controversial cut in the show's history. Jennie Garth struggled with self-confidence problems and missing her family throughout the season, and she fell during her Quickstep.

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba said the participants need a combination of qualities to succeed.

"You don't have to start out as a fantastic dancer," she said. "It's all about giving your heart and soul to learning to dance."

Inaba, a longtime choreographer who will team up with Tonioli for a new dance competition show on ABC slated for January, said the most successful competitors are "people who are dedicated and make an incredible transformation. ... What really gets the audience to vote for you is that 'X-factor.' People root for people who are genuine."

Judge Len Goodman agreed that a contestant stands the best chance to win if it's "somebody who appeals to the judges and the viewers, for whatever reason -- for their uphill battle, or their celebrity, or the way we see them grow."

He said the participants are nervous the first week but improve from there. Even career entertainers accustomed to the spotlight "can't believe how scared they are," Goodman said. "Then they get used to the show, and you can see they get more coordinated. They realize what is necessary to succeed."

While the judges offer pointers, and often pointed criticism, Tonioli said when he's watching the dancers, he feels as though he's part of the audience.

"We are not there to humiliate the celebrities, but we're very passionate about wanting them to do better," he said. "And the response from the audience is immediate. There is no 'Take 2,' there is just this kind of adrenaline flying."

Tonioli said athletes have an advantage because "they are used to taking criticism. They never say, 'Oh, I'm no good'; they say, 'What can I do to make it better?' "

Inaba, who said she has been inspired by the celebrities' willingness to leave their comfort zones, added that the show is simply about watching people enjoy themselves. "You put in the hours and learn the technique, but when you get on stage, it is about having fun and letting us watch you have that genuine moment."